The humble grilled cheese sandwich takes center stage at a California-based fast-casual restaurant known as The Melt. And the gooey sandwiches go on tour, too, in four converted school buses that grilled-cheese aficionados can book for weddings, parties, and concerts, or follow to festivals and...

I’ve worked in restaurants my whole life, and my first restaurant job was as a waitress at an old-fashioned ice cream parlor when I was 16. After that, I worked in various restaurants, even at the Hyatt Maui, before I got into marketing and advertising. I stayed in it mostly because I think it’s...

The back-to-school season signals a return to more regular meal routines for families, and quick-service and fast-casual restaurants are working hard to be a part of those routines. Many limited-service brands are entrenching themselves in and around elementary schools, high schools, and the...

Quick-serve restaurant owners are some of the busiest people you may ever know. In addition to sales, food quality, staffing, safety, regulations, marketing, staying ahead of the competition, and inventory management, quick-serve restaurant owners have to keep track of financial performance,...

Like a tropical storm, many different elements came together in 2013 to create a standout year for Fiesta Restaurant Group, parent company to fast-casual brands Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana. After years of climbing sales and store counts, tinkering with the store design and menu, and strategic...

Craig Bernstein knew he wanted to be a restaurateur as early as the sixth grade, and in the summer of 2013, he transformed those childhood ambitions into a reality with the debut of Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen.
Named in honor of Bernstein’s father, Dr. Robert Bernstein, the Chicago-based eatery is a...

Thanks to British ex-pat Nathan Coe and his Nantucket Pasty Co., the pasty is becoming a household term—and an oft-enjoyed culinary item—in the seaside community of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Leveraging the talents of Culinary Institute of America–trained pastry chef Josh Smerdon, the two-year-old...

Charlotte, North Carolina–based Bojangles’ may fall into the chicken quick-service category, but as any executive, operator, employee, or loyal fan will tell you, it’s all about the biscuit.
And for good reason: The item is included or featured in nearly 80 of the brand’s menu items, a fact that...

In honor of Whataburger's 30th anniversary of its popular Fancy Ketchup cups, Whataburger is hosting a #FancySKETCHUP event on Twitter, where Whataburger fans can have their self-portrait drawn using none other than Whataburger's Fancy Ketchup. For a chance to participate, fans must tweet @...

Tropical Smoothie Café introduces a new LTO line of hand-crafted artisan tacos, as well as a smoothie packed with wholesome ingredients. The new products can be enjoyed February 24 through April 26 to offer fans unique food and smoothie options for the beginning of spring.

Alghanim Industries and The Wendy’s Company announced today the signing of a Master Franchise Agreement aimed at expanding the Wendy’s brand in the Middle East. This deal reinforces Alghanim Industries’ strategy to partner with international food and beverage franchises and build on the company’...

With the opening of Modmarket Preston Hollow Village, there are now three farm-fresh eateries in the Dallas area and 12 across Colorado and Texas. The newest location joins Modmarket Flower Mound (opened September 2014) and Modmarket Plano (opened October 2014) in Texas.

The Food Business School (FBS), the new center for executive and graduate education of The Culinary Institute of America, today opened registration for its Spring 2015 session and announced a suite of innovative educational programs taught by expert faculty. The first business school dedicated...

Though U.S. consumption is well below other proteins today, seafood will likely be an increasingly important part of the American diet in the years to come. The country’s population is predicted to grow by 89 million between 2010 and 2050 to 401 million people. More people require more food—and...

When fast-casual chain Zoës Kitchen Inc. debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last April, the Plano, Texas–based Mediterranean-style eatery recorded its initial public offering at $87.5 million. Satisfying an investor appetite for investments within the trendy fast-casual space, Zoës’ strong...

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...

Convenience stores are increasingly taking a larger slice out of the quick-serve pie with fresh food offerings. It’s become such a lucrative business for C-stores that Sheetz, the Pennsylvania-based C-store chain that this week opened its 500th location, is planning stores designed more as fast...

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...

Kevin Kester’s family has been farming in the U.S. for generations. And it’s not just a couple of generations they’ve been farming; more like generations upon generations, way back to the 1600s, specifically in California since the 1860s. Today, Kester owns a 22,000-acre beef cattle ranch in...